Packing bodies for use in chemical processing operations such as absorption, desorption, extraction, scrubbing, heat exchange and the like are well-known in the art. Typically, relatively large numbers of substantially identical packing bodies are loaded into processing columns or towers in a random or dumped manner. It is also known in the art to fill processing columns with structured packing materials comprising ordered arrays of substantially identical packing bodies. In both applications, the function of the packing bodies is to enhance fluid contact and interaction between opposing streams of fluid within the packed column or tower to enhance the efficiency and rate of the chemical process involved. The packing bodies accomplish this by providing large areas of wettable surface and by disrupting fluid flow within the column to form large numbers of individual droplets and fine streams thereby promoting the mixing of the various reaction streams.
Recently, high efficiency, high performance packing bodies have been developed which provide a substantially uniform distribution of open cellular units throughout their internal volume and external surface area. These high efficiency packing bodies provide maximal wettable surface area with a minimal restriction to fluid flow and are relatively insensitive to orientation within packed columns. As a result, the packing bodies can be dump loaded into processing columns or towers without fear of obstructing fluid flow and larger volumes of fluid can be passed through physically smaller columns at increased rates, thereby substantially increasing process efficiency and reducing costs.
Unfortunately, the uniform geometric configuration of these improved, high efficiency packing bodies makes it difficult if not impossible to produce such packing bodies in an economical manner. Prior art manufacturing techniques include casting, injection molding, and extrusion processes. All of these techniques have the drawback of eliminating a certain degree of the uniform radial symmetry within the ideal packing bodies in order to allow the packing body to be extruded from a die or released from a mold. While it is possible to cast complex structures such as these utilizing a lost wax or similar technique, this is a prohibitively expensive and time consuming process. Exotic multi-piece injection molds also can be utilized to produce substantially uniform packing bodies. However, these too are prohibitively expensive.
Even more significantly, a number of high temperature or chemically active processing systems require the utilization of metal packing bodies within the processing column or tower. To date, it has not been possible to produce a high efficiency, high performance, generally symmetrical, open volumed packing body from metal. Most prior art metal packing bodies have been formed from rolled metal blanks which have been punched or stamped prior to rolling. The rolled packing bodies are generally spherical or tubular in shape and may include internal projections to enhance their efficiency. However, their performance falls far short of that of ideal high efficiency packing bodies.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method and associated blank for manufacturing high efficiency, high performance, substantially uniform and symmetrical, open volumed packing bodies from a wide variety of materials including metals, plastics and ceramics.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and blank for manufacturing high efficiency, substantially uniform and symmetrical, open volumed packing bodies utilizing inexpensive mass production techniques that do not directly involve expensive casting, molding, or extrusion processes.